"The Screwtape Letters" plays at Wells Theatre

Some actors may tire of playing the same role night after night. But Max McLean continues to find wicked delight in the role of the demon, Screwtape.

McLean originated the role in 2006 in his theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis book, "The Screwtape Letters." He's bringing the show to Hampton Roads where he'll perform May 1-6 as part of the 2012 Virginia Arts Festival.

"In a lot of theatrical pieces, you've mined the depth of your character and know it's time to move on," says McLean. "But I've not found that with this role. Screwtape is very charming and very good at his job."

Screwtape's job is to try to entice people away from Christianity. In "The Screwtape Letters" — the plot is told through a series of letters — his character is a demon who is advising his nephew on ways to lead people away from God.

Though McLean carries most of the play, he's joined onstage by a second actor who plays his secretary and assumes different characters.

"We've stayed very close to the text," says McLean. " People who know the book will be very pleased."

Ultimately, Screwtape fails at his mission, says McLean, and he becomes an "out-witted, defeated devil." Lewis, who converted to Christianity later in life, frequently explored that theme in his work. McLean calls it a kind of "spiritual warfare.

"The big idea of the play is that the quality of our lives is determined by the choices we make," says McLean. "But Lewis believes that these choices are influenced by spiritual forces."

Adapting "The Screwtape Letters" into a play fits nicely into McLean's own mission in life. In 1993 he founded the Fellowship for the Performing Arts, an organization whose mission is to produce Christian-themed works for a wide-ranging audience.

Though McLean has played other roles, he keeps returning to Screwtape. He's taken the "The Screwtape Letters" to theaters inWashington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles.

"I do enjoy playing him," says McLean. "The evil that villain Lewis created is one of the great literary creations of the 20th century."

Want to go?

What: C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters"

When: 7 p.m. May 1, 8 p.m. May 2-4, 4 and 8 p.m. May 5, and 2 p.m. May 6.

Where: Wells Theatre, Tazewell Street and Monticello Avenue, Norfolk

Tickets: $33-$50 by calling Ticketmaster at 800-982-2787 or online at http://www.vafest.org.